Tuesday, March 18, 2008

"Comics and...Whatever"

It was the early 1960's...1963, to be exact...and I read a lot of comics. In fact, I was just getting into actually keeping and collecting my comics, stashing them into a large, cardboard box that I kept under my bed.

And it didn't matter much "what" sort of comics I read since I liked them all, but even back then I had more of a lean towards the super heroes (especially Superman). But I read whatever I could get. I read Marvel. I read DC. And I read many an issue published by both Archie and the American Comics Group (aka, "A.C.G.").

Up until that time, only my family members and a close-netted group of friends knew I loved comic books. Until I got a fan letter published in a letter's page of an Archie title (and, no. I still won't say which one as it's been a source of embarrassment for 45 years; not the the fact that it was published, but "what" I wrote and got published!)

So's...anyway...this makes my 45th. year of being "recognized" by "the world at large" as a comic book fan and collector.

But...getting back to Archie Comics...

I got in 6 various silver-age comic today that I'd won on eBay auctions. Three of these were published by A.C.G....and three by Archie. Now it's not like I just randomly purchase an old Archie Comic. The majority of these are composed or just Archie's flirtacious antics with Betty & Veronica, or pestering "Mr. Lodge", and the such. I only buy such if they are somewhat special. So I'll begin with the copy of Archie Comics #185 (pictured ABOVE), dated September, 1968.

This comic is of importance...historically so, as far as music goes, as it features the very first appearance of "The Archies" rock group. I'll admit to listening to "The Archies". It was difficult not too with as many AM stations as we had locally in 1968, but also due to the number of hit singles that were produced from a studio group. Most notably was "Sugar, Sugar", which broke all sales records for any single. This one little story spawned many another tale of The Archies as a rock group, and led into the introduction of yet a second singing group in their titles called "Josie and The Pussycats". Both were made into animated Saturday morning cartoon shows, and there were other Archie-type spinoffs.

The second Archie title I got is a copy of Jughead #132 (dated May, 1966). Nothing of any interest inside the comic, but the cover features three of the then popular heroes from that company, "The Fly(Man)", "The Black Hood", and "The Shield". All three characters were part of their super hero team, "The Mighty Crusaders". The Shield and Black Hood were revived Golden Age characters...in a way. Shield was produced in the late 1950's as a book called "The Double Life of Pvt. Strong", but was a somewhat different character. He was later dfetermined to be the son of the original Shield (who had appeared in MLJ/Archie Comics in the 1940's).. The Black Hood had appeared in Golden Age Archie/MLJ's, but used in the early 1960's in "The Fly's" title as well. Both the Pvt. Strong/Shield version, as well as The Fly (later simply called "FlyMAN") were Simon and Kirby creations.

The other Archie is a copy of Laugh Comics #139 (Oct., 1962), and as with several issues of both Laugh and it's sister-title, "Pep", at that time they ran Fly & FlyGIRL, or "The Jaguar" stories within these titles.

In the ACG titles, I got copies of Magic Agent(aka "John Force") #3, and Unknown Worlds #'s 50 & 52. All of these are Magic Agent appearances. The MA #3 was the last issue of his own title. The MA #3 is from 1962, and the UWs from 1966. UWs #50, besides having Magic Agent has, as well, one of those rare ACG stories drawn by Steve Ditko (albiet a short 3 pager).

Then I got in a couple of modern things like DC's Suicide Squard #'s 1 & 2 (first series from 1987). I still need a LOT of those to fill out a set!

Thus ends what I bought with winnings that were paid to me via PayPal from previous auctions this year.

In other news...

I can't say that I'm happy in the least over the amount of the settlement given to Heather Mills. In the first place, whoever even heard of her before her involvement with Paul McCartney? From reports I've been reading she's had less than a perfect past, but that aside, I really think that she planned all of this from the start. Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks that way to me; just something to get a lot of money and publicity from, and now, very sadly, a hold on part of the McCartney Estate due to having one of his heirs.

On the other hand...

Although I don't like the fact that she's getting the money, I think Paul should have to pay every penny of it simply for being STUPID enough to marry her (or, for that fact, ANY woman that's young enough to be his daughter) in the first place. That much money, fame and fortune, getting married when there's thousands of women who would give Paul anything from simple companionship to kissing-whatever-part-of-his-body-he-wanted-them-to just for being "who" he is? Come one! Let's get serious here, folks. An escort service would have been a lot cheaper. (Even a high-priced "hooker" would have been.)

"And that's all I got to say about that".

Now I think I'll rant a little about people who simply don't want to work. Let's start with interior house projects that I've been trying to find people to fix.

I've got this leak over my kitchen, and I'm afraid that it's going to ruin the plaster board there (possibly even weaken it enough to collapse). Can I get anyone to come and give me something as simple as an estimate on new shingles on that side of the house? Nope. I've contacts, thus far, at least three different people on this and have yet to see a single one here.

I've got some problems in the utility room related to my washer and can't even get a plumber to stop by to see what it'll take to fix that. So for the past several weeks I've had to wash my clothes elsewhere, then bring them back here to dry them.

I've contacted at least three different people to give me estimates on replacing old ceiling panels with nicer, larger ones. One of the three showed up so far.

So's...whats the deal with getting people to work? Are they that covered up they can't make it? Nope. I think it's because they're self-employed, so they can pick the easiest jobs that they can charge the most for, and ignore the rest. Lord knows I wish I knew exactly how to shingle a roof or fix these panelings properly, but even after looking at instructions on various web sites, I'm pretty lost about the subjects. However...IF I could...these problems would have already been repaired.

(Rant over.)

St. Patrick's Day was just the usual back at work. After 2 days away from ordering I ended up with a good, full 5 pages worth of tools to restock. Busy, busy all day long.

Interesting... St. Patty's Day..."Ran all of the snakes out of Ireland with a shamrock", or so I'm told...which is just another way of saying he put the Christian religion (a shamrock being just another symbol for the cross) in place of any pagan one (symbolized by a snake, representative of Satan). Just yet another day we celebrate where Europians have come into a country (or, U.S. citizens for that matter refering to The Native Americans), and destroyed both the original culture and religion. Yes...something we should be proud of indeed!

Let's see...Christianity has done this to The Norse...Native Americans...various African tribes...attempts in India and Japan and China...and whereever they've set their feet and tried to claim as their own.

They've stolen such celebrations and changed them, making them their own such as Easter, and Christmas... and May Day...(but reversed the true meaning of Halloween 'cause it didn't quite fit into their mode.